Title IX Smoke Screen

(via Wikimedia Commons)

We know how it goes by now, right?

Athletic directors first label a school's sport as "non-revenue" and then remind us that "it's a money issue" and "dropping the program will help to make our other teams more competitive."

Don't forget the "our new conference doesn't sponsor the sport" bit.  They spout this idiotic reason as if the sport cannot exist without a dozen conference opponents!

The "rationale" these folks are using to dump men's sports amount to nothing more than a smoke screen.

What's really happening?

These sports are being "Title IX'ed", thanks to proportionality!

When money's a little tight and the "consultants" hired by the school decide a sport needs to go, you can bet it'll be a men's "non-revenue" sport, right?

They'll never admit that virtually all college sports cost more money than they can ever generate.

A.D.'s have learned to avoid citing Title IX as a reason for a sport cut.  A.D.'s who've told the truth about that have caught hell from organizations like the Women's Sports Foundation.

Thanks to media outlets that regurgitate whatever they've been fed by the A.D.'s, John Q. Public doesn't seem to have a clue.  Guess he'll figure it out when his son tries to find a college wrestling or swimming program someday.  Good luck, Junior Public!

Here's what's new(s) on the Title IX/Men's Program Cuts front:

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley hit an apparent homer with Towson U. baseball fans last week, as he attempted to rescue their soon-to-be-dumped program.

Upon further review, it looks like his dinger may have twisted foul.

Other politicians in Maryland don't appear as anxious as the governor to save T.U. baseball.  Read more here.

Comptroller Peter Franchot, who has been highly critical of Towson University’s decision, also said the governor’s proposal while well intended would also set a bad precedent. 

Probably would have had Terp swim fans wondering why that program didn't get a bailout, right?

Franchot also has criticized both the university’s president Marvene Loeschke and Athletic Director Mike Waddell for their decision.

Franchot told WBAL News this week the decision to eliminate the two teams were the result of the university “mishandling”

Later this month, Loeschke is scheduled to appear before the Board of Public Works, on which Franchot serves, to answer questions about this situation. He thinks Waddell should also attend.

“Maybe she should bring this athletic director…who apparently is at the bottom of this whole mess,” Franchot told WBAL News.

Loeschke is expected to appear at the Board of Public Works meeting on April 17.

It sounds like Franchot is on the right track.  Poorly managed athletic departments put our "minor" sports at great risk.  He wants to hear from the Loeschke/Waddell Tag Team that pinned baseball and soccer.

Next on the chopping block?  Looks like that "honor" goes to Boston University wrestling.  Read more here.  "Athletics cites multiple reasons for move" in the headline lets y'all know what's coming, right?  Best put on them boots:

The decision, Lynch says, came after a lengthy review process that assessed the University’s overall budgetary constraints, the shifting sands of conference affiliation occurring nationwide, the fact that wrestling does not have a formal affiliation in the Patriot League—the conference the University is moving to next year...

Blah, blah, blah...guess Notre Dame should cut their foosball program immediately.

How can The Fighting Irish possibly exist without a conference?

 

(via Oakhurst Garden Centre)

Let's wrap it up with an article that manages to squeeze ten pounds of manure into a five pound bag.  Read it here.

Starts off with:

The men who play baseball and soccer at Towson University, run track at the University of Delaware and wrestle, swim or golf at any number of other colleges all heard the same reason when their teams were cut: Title IX.

Sounds reasonable to me.  Somewhere along the line, though, things go horribly wrong.

Article ends with:

"Men's sports are still getting the lion's share of the money," said Neena Chaudhry of the National Women's Law Center. "Unfortunately, I think Title IX is an easy scapegoat. It's really unfortunate because it sort of pits the men against the women."

Now Neena, you know that's not true.

Proportionality pits everyone with a lick of common sense against you Title IX lawyers intent on shaking down every athletic department in the country.

Women athletes actually tend to support their male counterparts.

When a men's program is cut, women athletes
are the first ones to come to their defense!!!

What proportionality proponents will never admit:

While equal opportunities in college athletics have existed for many years, far more males than females opt to take advantage of those opportunities.

Does that mean women shouldn't get the same quality coaching, facilities, equipment, uniforms, etc. as the men?

Of course not!!!

It means this crazy quota system is all that's keeping Title IX from truly working for both genders...